Electric connecting device

ABSTRACT

An electrical connecting device has the following features: a current or data transmitter device which can be connected to at least one current-transmitting or pulse-transmitting source is arranged in a transmitter housing and has contact elements. A current receiving or data receiving device, which can be electrically connected to a load or a consumer is arranged in a receiver housing and has contact elements. A current, pulse or data transfer can be produced between the contact elements (which are in the form of flat contacts with touching surfaces) by connection of the current or data transmitter device to the current receiving or data receiving device. A large number of contact elements of at least one of the two devices are arranged alongside one another in a configuration in the form of an array. The contact elements which are inserted into the configuration in the form of an array are elastically mounted. The configuration in the form of an array rests on a pressing link.

This application is a national stage completion of PCT/EP2003/009963filed Sep. 8, 2003 which claims priority from German Application SerialNo. 102 42 646.5 filed Sep. 13, 2002.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an electrical connecting device of the typedefined in more detail in the precharacterizing clause of claim 1.

A connecting device of this type is described in WO 01/03249 A1.

The elastic arrangement of the contact elements of at least one devicealso allows two or more contacts to be optimally aligned with respect toone another, and allows a very good surface contact to be made. Thisallows even relatively high ampere levels to be transmitted and passedon.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is based on the object of further improving thealready known electromechanical connecting device, in particular inorder to make it even more suitable for large-scale production and for alarge number of contact connections.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, this object is achieved in that a largenumber of contact elements of at least one of the two devices arearranged alongside one another in a configuration in the form of anarray, in that the contact elements which are inserted into theconfiguration in the form of an array are elastically mounted, and inthat the configuration in the form of an array rests on a pressing linkon the side facing away from the contact elements.

The arrangement of the contact elements of at least one device in theconfiguration in the form of an array allows a large number of contactconnections to be made in a very confined space. In practice, thecontact elements are arranged alongside one another like letters in aprinting press, in which case the length can be chosen virtually asrequired. The elastic mounting means that the individual contactelements can move independently of one another, thus resulting inoptimum contact connections with flat contact. The pressing linklikewise ensures a good flat contact owing to the common mounting andthe fact that the contact elements are supported on their rear face. Theelasticity required for the contact elements can be achieved, in onevery advantageous refinement of the invention, by the pressing linkbeing elastic. In addition to providing a very good surface contact, anelastic pressing link also allows tolerance inaccuracies to becompensated for. At the same time, the pressure is in this casedistributed uniformly over the individual contact elements.

Additionally or alternatively, the contact elements may be at leastpartially embedded in an elastic sheath.

If necessary, the device can be lengthened as required on the basis ofthe frame which is in the form of an array, in a similar manner toprinting letters.

One advantageous refinement of the invention allows the current or datatransmitter device and the current receiving or data receiving deviceeach to be provided with magnet bodies with the magnet bodies for thecurrent receiving or data receiving device being arranged opposite themagnet bodies of the current transmitter or data transmitter device.

The device according to the invention allows an almost blind flatcontact to be made with pinpoint accuracy, over a very short distanceand with the ability to accept relatively large tolerances between theparts that are to be electrically connected.

One advantageous design refinement allows the configuration in the formof an array to be formed by a frame, in which case the frame may atleast approximately have a meandering shape which runs with right-angledturns.

The meandering shape according to the invention makes it possible toform a frame which is in the form of an array and can be cutappropriately to any desired length, effectively in the form of a blankwhich can be cut to length. The contact elements are then pushed intothe individual meanders and are advantageously provided with the elasticsheath by injection molding, in which case the individual meanders canbe filled in a corresponding manner with the injection molded material.However, those meanders which are open to the rear can also be left freeso that the air gap that that results in allows the elasticity to beincreased. If the meander width is in this case made slightly narrowerthan the thickness of the contact elements, then they are held securelyby a clamping effect in the meanders which project forwards.

In order to enlarge the surface contact, it is possible to provide fortwo contact elements which are located alongside one another to beconnected to one another by a conductive link part.

In this situation, two contact elements in the respective other deviceare also, of course, likewise connected to one another by means of aconductive link part. This allows a considerably larger contact area tobe created, so that even greater currents can be transmitted at thispoint.

Instead of the current or data transmitter device being connected to thecurrent receiving or data receiving device via the magnet bodies byproduction of a magnetic attraction force, the two devices may also, ofcourse, be connected to one another in any other desired manner, forexample by a force-fitting or interlocking connection, with or withoutlocks.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Advantageous developments and refinements will become evident from theother dependent claims and from the exemplary embodiment, which isdescribed in principle in the following text with reference to thedrawing, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal section through the electrical connectingdevice according to the invention, along the line I—I in FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 shows a cross section through the electrical connecting deviceaccording to the invention, along the line II—II in FIG. 1; and

the field of use and application for the electrical connecting devicemay be the same as that described in WO 01/03249 A1. WO 01/03249 A1 atthe same time in this case also represents the disclosure content of thepresent invention, where this is not described in any more detail in thefollowing text.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 and 2 each show a current or data transmitter device 1 with ahousing 2, in which a large number of contact elements 3 in the form offlat contacts alongside one another are arranged. Two, or else more ifnecessary, magnet bodies 4 in the form of iron cores or of magnets arearranged at a distance from one another in the transmitter housing 2.

For an electrical connection, a current receiving or data receivingdevice 5 together with a receiver housing 6 are arranged opposite thecurrent or data transmitter device 1 in such a way that magnets ormagnet bodies 7 which are arranged in the receiver housing 6 areopposite the magnet bodies 4 which are arranged in the transmitterhousing 2. If the magnet bodies 7 are in the form of magnets, and themagnet bodies 4 are in the form of iron cores, then there is no need topay attention to the need for opposite polarity. If the magnet bodies 4are likewise in the form of magnets, care must be taken to ensure thatopposite poles are in each case arranged opposite one another.

In order to reinforce the magnetic force, the magnets 7 may additionallyalso be sheathed with an iron casing 8, thus increasing the magneticforce. Refinements of magnets such as these are generally known, andwill therefore not be described in any more detail.

For simplicity, the following text discusses only one currenttransmitter device 1 and one current receiving device 5. The two devicesare, of course, also suitable for data transmission in the sense of adata transmitter device and a data receiving device.

The expression magnet bodies refers in an entirely general form tomagnets, parts which can be magnetized or magnetic parts which reactmagnetically under the influence of a magnet. The only important factoris that the magnet bodies 4 of the current transmitter unit 1 and thoseof the current receiving device 5 interact in such a way that a magneticattraction force is produced on both parts by means of a magnetic field.

The current receiving device 5 is likewise provided with contactelements 9 in the form of flat contacts, which are arranged alongsideone another in the receiver housing 6 in such a way that they are eacharranged opposite the contact elements 3 in the current transmitter unit1 when the current transmitter device 1 is connected to the currentreceiving device 5.

FIGS. 1 and 2 each show the position shortly before the currenttransmitter device 1 makes contact with the current receiving device 5,and thus shortly before a contact connection is made between the contactelements 3 and 9.

The contact elements 3 in the current transmitter device 1 are arrangedin a configuration in the form of an array, in the form of a frame 10,which is in the form of an array, in its cutouts. The frame 10 in theform of an array has a meandering shape with right-angled turns, withthe contact elements 3 in each case being inserted in a meander or acutout between two ribs 11 and 12, and preferably being clamped inthere. The meandering shape in each case results in a gap 13 at therear, which corresponds to the next meander with the next contactelement 3, thus allowing mobility of the contact elements 3. The contactelements 3 are clamped in in the front meanders, which face the currentreceiving device 5.

In addition, the contact elements 3 in the front area are eachsurrounded by an elastic sheath 14 in order to improve the conduction,but without losing elasticity, which elastic sheath 14 extends to apoint shortly in front of the contact surfaces 15 of each contactelement 3.

The elastic sheath 14 can be applied or introduced, for example in theform of plastic, by injection molding. The elastic sheath may, ofcourse, also be applied in a different manner, for example in aprefabricated manner, with the contact elements then being introduced inan appropriate manner into the plastic. In this case as well, anydesired lengths of the frame which is in the form of an array and isformed in this way are possible.

The frame 10 in the form of an array is connected to a pressing link 16on its rear face in a manner which is not illustrated in any moredetail, for example by adhesive bonding. Instead of being connected onits rear face. Other refinements can also be provided, of course, withinthe scope of the invention instead of a frame in the form of an array.The only major feature is that a large number of contact elements 3 arearranged one behind the other in the form of an array in an elasticsheath.

The pressing link 16 may be elastic or slightly concave, in the form ofa rubber link, and is arranged in an appropriate manner in thetransmitter housing 12 between the two magnet bodies 4, so that itextends over the entire length of the frame 10 in the form of an array.

The elastic sheath 14, the air gaps 12 and the pressing link 16 resultin a secure surface contact for all the contact elements 3 with thecontact elements 9 in the current receiving device 5 when the currenttransmitter device 1 is being connected to the current receiving device5. The elastic sheath 14 can also ensure a connection which ismoisturetight and watertight. At the same time, it acts as a corset forthe contact elements 3, while maintaining elasticity.

As can be seen, this is not dependent on the number of contact elements3 and 9 which are arranged alongside one another.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the contact elements 3 of thecurrent transmitter device 1 have been arranged elastically in the frame10 in the form of an array, as described. It is also, of course, evidentwithin the scope of the invention that the current receiving device 5can also be provided with appropriately elastically arranged contactelements 9 as an alternative to this, while the contact elements 3 inthe current transmitter device 1 are arranged fixed in the transmitterhousing 2. It is likewise also possible to mount all the contactelements 3 and 9 elastically in frames 10 in the form of arrays.

As can be seen from FIG. 2, not only the contact elements 9 but likewisealso the contact elements 3 may be in the form of thin sheets with sideextensions 17. The current is then supplied or passed on to a load,which is not illustrated, via the side extensions 17 and via supplylines and output lines 18.

The frame 10 in the form of an array may be formed from an elasticplastic part. Brass parts, possibly silver-plated, can be used as simplestamped parts for the contact elements 3 and 9.

For precision mechanical feeding and connection of the currenttransmitter device 1 to the current receiving device 5, the currenttransmitter device 1 may be provided with one or more conical cutouts19, at whose lower end one magnet body 4 is in each case located.Conversely, the current receiving device 5 has one or more conicalprojections 20, which are matched to the cone angle of the conicalcutouts 19. One magnet body 7 is in each case located in each conicalprojection 20. For electrical connection, the conical projections 20 areinserted in an appropriately self-centering form into the conicalcutouts 19, with the magnet bodies 4 and 7 resting on one another at theend of the insertion process, and the contact connections between thecontact elements 3 and 9 in this case being produced such that they arerobust and secure. This refinement effectively results in a “blind”contact between the contact elements 3 and 9 without any possibility offaults or errors.

When it is intended to transmit very heavy currents, two contactelements 3 located alongside one another can be connected to one anotherby means of a conductive contact link 21 (see the dashed illustration inFIG. 1). The same then applies to the contact elements 9 which interactin this way. A contact link 21 can also be used for situations in whichtwo (or more with longer contact links) identical output currents areintensively passed on from a common input current, or vice versa.

Further protection against bad connections or incorrect connections orcontact between current transmitter devices 1 and current receivingdevices 5 which do not match one another is achieved by “coding” themagnet bodies 4 and 7. “Coding” means that each magnet body is formedfrom two or more small individual magnets of different polarity, withthe mutually opposite magnet bodies 7 and 4 each being arranged to haveopposite polarity. Coding such as this can be seen, for example, in FIG.3 in WO 01/03249 A1. Magnets coded in this way are also described in EP0 573 471 (Oct. 12, 1994). This means that a contact connection can bemade only when the correctly coded magnets meet one another.

The exemplary embodiment described above is described in conjunctionwith the magnet bodies 4 and 7. The magnet bodies 4 and 7 may, ifnecessary, also be omitted, of course, and, after the current receivingor data receiving device has been fitted to the current or datatransmitter device, a connection or holding force between the twodevices can also be provided in some other way, for example by locks orlatches.

1. An electrical connecting device comprising: a) a current or datatransmitter device, which connectable to at least onecurrent-transmitting or pulse-transmitting source, is arranged in atransmitter housing and has contact elements; b) a current receiving ordata receiving device, which is electrically connected to a load or aconsumer, is arranged in a receiver housing and has contact elements; c)at least the contact elements in one of the current receiving or thedata receiving device are arranged in an at least partially elastic wallof the associated housing; d) a current, pulse or data transfer can beproduced between the contact elements, which are in the form of flatcontacts with touching surfaces of the current or data transmitterdevice and the current receiving or data receiving device by connectionof the current or data transmitter device to the current receiving ordata receiving device; e) a number of contact elements of at least oneof the two devices are arranged alongside a one another in aconfiguration (10) in the form of an array formed by a frame (10); f)the contact elements (3) which are inserted into the configuration inthe form of an array are elastically mounted; and g) the configurationin the form of an array rests on an elastic pressing link (16) on theside facing away from the contact elements (3).
 2. The electricalconnecting device according to claim 1, wherein the contact elements (3)are at least partially embedded in an elastic sheath (14).
 3. Theelectrical connecting device according to claim 1, wherein the currentor data transmitter device (1) and the current receiving or datareceiving device (5) are each provided with magnet bodies (4, 7), andthe magnet bodies (7) for the current receiving or data receiving device(5) are arranged opposite the magnet bodies (4) of the currenttransmitter or data transmitter device (1).
 4. The electrical connectingdevice according to claim 1, wherein the configuration in the form of anarray is formed by a frame (10).
 5. The electrical connecting deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the elastic sheath (14) is formed bymolding.
 6. The electrical connecting device according to claim 1,wherein the elastic pressing link (16) comprises hard rubber or asubstance similar to hard rubber.
 7. The electrical connecting deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein two of the contact elements (3) locatedalongside one another are connected to one another by a conductive linkpart (21) in order to enlarge the flat contact.
 8. The electricalconnecting device according to claim 3, wherein the magnet bodies (4)are in the form of magnets (7) which are reinforced by iron casings (8).9. The electrical connecting device according to claim 1, wherein themagnet bodies (4) are in the form of magnets, and are each coded bysplitting within a magnet into two or more magnet parts of differentpolarity.
 10. The electrical connecting device according to claim 3,wherein the magnet bodies (4) which can be arranged opposite one anotherin the current or data transmitter device (1) and in the currentreceiving or data receiving device (5) are passed through guides (19,20) in the transmitter housing (2) and in the receiver housing (6) forconnection.
 11. The electrical connecting device according to claim 10,wherein the guides (19, 20) are conical.
 12. The electrical connectingdevice according to claim 1, wherein me current or data transmitterdevice (1) can be connected to the current receiving or data receivingdevice (5) by connecting mechanical connecting elements to one another.